3rd March, 2015
The NEXIM Bank’s case against Nigeria’s World Boxing Federation (WBF) champion, Bashiru Lawrence Ali a.k.a Bash Ali is scheduled to come up again tomorrow in Abuja.
Bash Ali is being tried at Senior Magistrate Court, Cotonou Street, Wuse Zone 6, Abuja for criminal trespass, obstruction in public way, wrongful restraint and criminal intimidation, contrary to Sections 79, 85, 348, 194, 266 and 397 of penal code.
The Nigerian champion has been remanded at Kuje Prison in Abuja since 23 February. This forced him to mark his 59th birthday celebration at the prison on 27 February.
In a message the boxer sent to friends and admirers on the day of his birthday, a copy made available to P.M.NEWS Sports, Bash Ali said: “GEJ, Feb. 27 was my birthday and I spent it in jail in Kuje Prison because I said no to corruption at NEXM Bank. If this is what I have to do to make Nigeria better and ensure that my dream to rewrite boxing come to reality so be it.”
He also wrote in another text message: “The great singer Stella Monye came to visit me on my birthday which was Feb 27. Court date is March 4.”
Meanwhile, president of Bash Ali Fans Club, BAFCON, Dickson Ayorinde Oshin wants President Goodluck Jonathan to step into the logjam between Bash Ali and Managing Director of NEXIM Bank, Robert Orya, who the boxer alleged that he demanded a bribe of $10 million out of the $30m which Jonathan had asked the bank to release to the Local Organising Committee, LOC, of the Guinness Book of World Records fight Ali planned to stage in Nigeria.
“We believe it is high time President Jonathan should show his stance against corruption by making Orya a scapegoat. Bash Ali is a world champion, how could he celebrate his birthday at Kuje Prison because of not giving bribe to Orya? We urge President Jonathan to intervene in this matter. Nothing should happen to Bash Ali and he must not die inside the prison. All good people of Nigeria must stand up against corruption in Nigeria,” Oshin told P.M.NEWS Sports in Lagos on Monday.